Staten Island poll: Will Benghazi attack affect how we vote for next president?

This email, released by the State Department, shows that White House officials, among others, were notified of the attack on the American consulate within hours, suspecting terrorists.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Mitt Romney's question to President Obama in the first presidential debate on the deadly attack on America's consulate in Libya -- What did you know, when did you know it, and why didn't you tell us -- just won't go away.

At least that's what the Republicans will have you believe. And it's a tough argument if you are a Democrat.

On Wednesday, it was revealed that a series of emails from the State Department -- obtained by Fox News and CNN -- were sent to the White House, the Pentagon, the FBI and the Director of National Intelligence within hours of the attack that killed four Americans, linking the massacre to a group with ties to Al Qaeda.

<a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/6635159/">Are Libya emails a game-changer?</a>Why did the White House, and specifically American Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, claim five days later that the uprising was spontaneous and caused by reaction to a film that attacked Muslims and the prophet Mohammad? And then as it became clear it was a terrorist plot, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton threw herself under the bus, saying the misinformation was all her fault.

Critics are saying one of two things -- the administration didn't want to admit a terrorist attack on Americans so close to the election, or as Staten Island's Republican Rep. Michael Grimm told the Advance Wednesday, "The administration is in turmoil. There is no leadership."

If you are a Republican, we can guess your position. But if you are a Democrat, will this apparent flip-flop on a matter so serious influence your vote?